Grinding machinery



June 28, 1932.

H. ERNST GRINDING MACHINERY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 4-, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. ERNST Filed new. 4, 1926 GRINDING MACHINERY June 28, 1932.

June 28, 1932. ERNST GRINDING MACHINERY Filed Dec. 4, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE HANS ERNST, OI CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO CINCINNATI GRINDEBS INCOR- PORATED, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OI OHIO GRINDING uacnmmw Application filed December 4, .1928. Serial 80. 152,509.

This invention relates to improvements in grinding machinery and has particular reference to mechanism for use in the grinding of spherical articles such as balls for ball 5 bearings.

The principal object of the present inven tion is the provision of a novel and improved machine for quantity production of spherical members of extreme accuracy as to size.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved multiple machine whereby a plurality of series of articles may be simultaneously ground.

Another object of the invention is the pro- 15-vision of a machine which will automatically operate on a plurality of series of spherical articles to successively reduce the several members in each series to same predetermined size'and accurate to a fractional thousandth 20 of an inch, both as to diameter, contour and surface.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the'following specification taken in connection with the appended drawings, and it will be understood that I may make any modifications in the specific structural details hereinafter disclosed within the scope of ,the appended claims without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention, with portions broken away.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken as on the line 22 of'Figure 1. i

Figure 3 is an enlarged section particularly illustrating the work control mechanism as on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section as on-the line H of Fi re 3;

Figure 5 is a ragmentary view in elevation of the cam driving ratchet.

Figure 6 is a plan view of an accentuated control cam, and Figure 7 is a view illustrating the shuttle or feed member in an operative position other than that shown in Figure 3. I

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the base of the machine having mounted thereon the main bed or casting 11 formed witha central well or chamber 12 and with the annular chamber 13 adapted to receive the coolant 14. J ournalled in the bed 11 is the main drive shaft 15 driven as from belt 16 the wheel and facilitate free rotation t ereof with spindle 19.

The'wheel itself is formed with a plurality of peripheral grooves 23 substantially correspondin in transverse configuration to Elie shape to e produced on the work pieces The gea- 18 in turn meshes with gear 25 on shaft 26 which has a worm 27 meshing with pinion 28 of shaft 29 to operate the latter at a speed possiblg one-tenth the R. P. M. of spindle 19. haft 29 extends upward through bed 11 and serves to operate the control portions of the machine. These include an inner compound gear member having the large gear portion 30 and the smaller portion 31. This gear is rotatably. mounted on bearing flange 32 of the bed casting and is arran ed concentric with spindle 19.

ircumscribing the spindle 19 is the annular rotary table 33 supported on the bed 11 as by the anti-friction bearings 34. This table has secured thereto the internal gear 35 meshing with the drive pinion 36 on shaft 29, with the result that compound gear 3031 and table 33 both derive their motion.

from shaft 29, the table moving slowly in a counter-clockwise direction as respects Figure 1, as is indicated by the arrow thereon,

and the compound gear rotating as does the grinding wheel in a clockwise direction, as is indicated by the arrows. The table serves as a moving support for a plurality of work controlling units. These units are ordinarily identical in structure and the descri tion of a single unit should thereforesufiice or a complete understanding thereof. One of such units is shown in Figure '3 of'the drawings. The table 33 carries the stud 37 on which is rotatably mounted gear 38 driven through gear 39 from the large gear 30. This gear as integral therewith sprocket 40-for a purpose hereinafter described.

Stud 37 further serves as a ivotal support for the swingin frame 41 0 the work controlling unit, w ose weight is further carried by the anti-friction bearings 42 facilitating free in and out oscillatory movement of the unit. Such oscillatory movement is effected through interengagement of roller 42 on frame 41 with the control cam 43 secured to the flange 32 of the bed, this cam plate alsov serving as a cap to retain the compound gear in position.

The cam itself is shown in detail in Figure 6 of the drawings, from which it will be seen that it is of bi-lateral form providing for ejection of a work piece at each half revolution of the table and for corresponding'op'erations at opposite sides. .The cam has the pair of lobes 44 which serve to produce maximum outward swinging movement of the control unit frames against the inward actuating force of the individual control springs 45. In addition, it has a steep drop as at 46 to allow initial inward movement of the control unit to operative-or grindin position coupled with a portion of graduainward lead as at 47 for controlling the gradual reduction in size of the work piece, preferably with a slight concentric portion as at 48, providing for a dwell in movement of the parts for final sizing and then a sharp rise a i at 49, again swinging the control unit out- 1rd intor work receiving and ejecting posi- .ion. That these parts may be best understood, the showing in Figure 6 has been made diagrammatic and accentuated over the actual shape of the cam, as indicated in Figure 1. o

The swinging units themselves include the main frame designated as an entirety by the reference character 41 and the supplemental slide 50, adjustable relative to the. main frame as by screw 51. Slide .50 has journalled therein shaft 51' for the regulatmg wheel 52, rovided on its lowerend with a sprocket 53, riven by chain 54 from sprocket 40 through the gear connections 39-30, as is shown in Figure 1 and at the right of Figure 2.

he swinging unit also bears a work rest blade 55, havingits face grooved or corrugated as indicated at 56 to interfit with the ribs 57 intermediate the ooves 23 of the inding wheel. Dispose in opposition to t e operative face of work rest 55 is a work steadying rod 58. The utility of this should be particularly apparent by reference to Figure 3, from which it will e seen that in the form .of invention here described, the opera tive faces of the grinding and regulating wheels are in a vertical plane, rather than a horizontal lane as has been customar in the past wit commercial centerless grin ers. As a result the-work rest 55 and rod 58 together form a guide trough .down which the work pieces move or pass during grindin It will be understood that gravity ten s to urge the work pieces downward. Conseguently, if some means were not provided or controlling the position of the work pieces when the grinding and regulating wheels were separated by the cam lobes 44, the work pieces would tend to rest one upon the other and not be properly engaged within the successive grooves 23. Use is therefore made of the transfer shuttle 59, having a plurality of work receiving notches 60. A rectangular guideway 61 cooperating with the control frame 62 of the shuttle, controls the movement thereof.

In operation when the unit 41 is moved outwardly as by cam lobe 44, the chute formed by the members 55-58 will overlie the discharge tube 63, so that the lowermost work piece may drop out of the machine through said chute. At the same time the rotation of table 33 will cause plunger 64 to ride upwardly on actuating cam 65. This plunger has a rack 66 meshing with pinion 67 on shaft 68. Said shaft bears ratchet 69 engaged by pawl 7 O on cam 71.

It will be understood by reference to Figure 3 that rotation of the cam 71 there illustrated in a clockwise direction as actuated by lifting of plunger 64, will first cause a rearward movement .of the shuttle withdrawing same from engagement with the work pieces 24 against the tension of the actuating spring 72. Continued rotary movement of t e cam by its engagement with frame '62 will then raise the shuttle member a sufficient amount to cause uppermost notch 60 to be raised into alignment with the uppermost groove 23 of the grinding wheel. As the cam continues its rotation, it will 'still hold the shuttle in raised position, but will release the rearward pressure allowing spring 72 to shift the shuttle forward substantially into engagement with the work pieces'held between the grip of the grinding and regulating wheels. In this position the flatslde 73 of the cam will be against the side of the frame, while the arcuate surface 74 will be holding the shuttle raised against downward pull of the spring 72. The is the position occupied by the parts prior to the outward swin 'ng movement-of the control unit caused by 10 e 44. On the outward swinging travelling movement cam 65 "actuates plun r 64 sufliciently to impart a quarter rotatlon to the cam 71, moving the shuttle downward to the position shown in Figure 3. By this downward movement the lowest work piece is released both from retention by the roove in the grinding wheel and retention by the shuttle with the result that it will fall out through tube 63 and be discharged. At the same-time the series of balls previously held I by engagement in the grooves 23 of the grindin wheel are still properly held in spaced re ation by the fingers of the shuttle and prevented from accidental displacement by being steadied by work rest 55, rod 58, and the surface of the regulating wheel itself. The .balls will therefore be shifted downward by the shuttle for proper engagement in the next ensuing groove of the grinding wheel. At the same time a new work piece has been introduced at the top of the col- 'umn through the aperture 75. The work pieces are normally supplied from a suitable hopper or the like, through a trough or tube 76, carried as by frame 77 rising from bed 11. A suitable unitary work piece deliveringmechanism may be employed in conjunction with the discharge tube. The particular form here illustrated, comprises a trigger device 77 having a portion projecting within the tube and a depending portion engageable by trip lug 78 on the swinging unit 41'. As the lug passes beneath the trip, a single work piece is released thereby and allowed to drop into groove 79, leading into apertures 75. It will then roll down 39 the groove and through the receiving a erture at the proper moment by gravity.

tinued rotation of the table will move unit 41 out of engagement with lobe 44 of the control cam, when the unit will swing inward and the balls be pressed into the grooves of the grinding wheel for joint actuation by the grinding and regulating wheels. At this moment plunger 64 will ride upward on cam rise 80, causing a withdrawal of the shuttle,

followed by an upward movement of the shuttle and. a subsequent inward movement into ball guiding position. It is then ready for the next shifting of the balls at subsequent separation of the grinding and regu- 45 lating wheels. The plunger 64 will then ride down on the rear surface 81 but the shuttle will be held in raised position due to contact between flat side 73 of the cam and the frame 62. The movement of the plunger will therefore be an idle one which is permitted, due to the pawl and ratchet connection between the cam and plunger. It will thus be seen I that a reciprocating-movement of the plung-- or intermittently effected by cam on the bed of the machine, will cause an intermittent constant direction actuation of the cam member on the upward movement of the plunger with an absence of actuation on the rear stroke. Inasmuch as the cam .43 and support 77 for'the work'are both rigidly carried by the bed, these parts, together with the actu: ating cam for. the individual unit plungers serve jointly to supply fresh work pieces to each unit successivelyto insure continuous work pieces.

It will be understood that the grinding wheel is operated at a high or grindin rate of speed as for example, 1200 R. P. in a direction to press the several work pieces against the work rest 55, while the regulating wheel 52 is actuated in the direction of the arrow in Figure 4 or clockwise at a slow rate of speed. Consequently, the grinding wheel performs the function of removal of stock from the work pieces, while the regulating wheel frictionally engages and rotates the work pieces. In order that all parts of the work piece may be properly presented to the grinding wheel for action thereon, the regulating wheel axis is preferably set at a slight angle to the grinding wheel, causing a diagonal thrust to be exerted thereby. This necessitates the regulating wheel being trued to present a straight line of contact with the series of balls parallel with the operative face of the work rest. On account, however, of the tilting of the axis, this means that the actual surface is not cylindrical, but slightly concaved as has been shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the general structural features and advantages of the present machine-should be readily apparent,and it will be-noted that there has been provided a machine'for centerless precision grinding of balls or like articles, in which a single contoured grinding wheel serves to simultaneously operate on a plurality of series of independently controlled work pieces and that therefore the one grinding wheel isable to effect maximum production in minimum time. In addition, attention is invited to thefact that by. the use of the vertical arrangement, gravity serves to supply the Mn h work ieces and to insure discharge of t e comp eted articles, while the shuttle mechanism controls their step by step or progressive advance. This progressive advance is particularly desirable since through its use the rough work piece may be presented in the first groove of the grindlng wheel and mu hed out, the work pieces being successive y presented to ensuing grooves, each of which has to remove less and less stock, so

that the final groove ordinarily has to perform but little'stock removal, therefore, has

relatively slight wear and can be depended on to most accurately size .the work pieces just prior to their ejection from the machine.

I claim 1. A centerless grinder, including a grinding wheel, a plurality of regulating wheel units peripherally opposed thereto, said individual units each including a regulating wheel and an associated work support, a sin le means for sequentially shifting the severa units toward and from the grinding wheel, and additional means for individually adjustingthe regulating wheels relativeto their supporting units to control the size of work produce by such individual units.

2. A centerless grinder, including a grind-r ing wheel, a plurality of regulating wheel units peripherally related to the grinding wheel and each includinga regulating wheel member and a work support for joint peripheral engagement with a work piece to control the positioned rotation thereof, means for bodily shifting the units circumferentially of the grinding wheel and additional means for imparting an in and out movement to the units during saidshifting. i

3. A centerless grinder, including a grinding wheel rotatable about a vertical axis, a

. plurality of regulating wheels peripherally bus rotatable about distinct vertica opposed to the periphery of the grinding wheel and providing a plurality of work receiving throats, means for positively controlling the vertic'al shifting of the work in the individual throats and a single actuator for sequentiallyenergizing said individual work controlling means.

4. A grinding machine, including a rotary grindin wheel and a Work controlling unit mounted for swinging movement adjacent the grinding wheel, said unit including a work supporting member and a regulating wheel rotatable in, the same direction about its axis as the grinding wheel but at a much reduced rate of speed for frictionally engagin the work to control the rotation thereof, an

means for swinging the unit to shift the work into and out of operative engagement with the grinding wheel. 1

5. Agrinding machine, including a rotary grindin wheel and a work controlling unit mounted for swinging movement ad acent the grinding wheel, said unit including a work supporting member for supporting work pieces and a regulating wheel rotatable in the-same direction about its axis as the I grinding wheel but at a much reduced rate of speed for frictionally engaging' the work to control the rotation thereof, andmeans .for swinging the unit to shift the work into and'out of operative engagement with the grinding wheel, said means including a controlling cam having a plurality of portions for imparting different degrees of movement to the worksupporting member whereby both the initial operativeenfglagement of the work and grinding wheel an the progressive feed determining the amount of stock removal from the work .are controlled by the cam.

6. Acenterless grinder, including peripherally opposed grinding and regulatin memaxes, a work supporting member disposed in the throat between said grinding and regulating members, and means normally preventing shifting movement of the work during grmding but actuable for positively advanchaving a plurality of work engaging grooves of contour complementary to that to be formed on the work pieces, and a work controlling unit pivotally supported adjacent the periphery of the grinding wheel, said unit including a frame member, a work support carried by the frame member, a regulating wheel movably mounted on the frame member for engagement with work pieces on the support, and means for urging the regulating wheel in the direction of the grinding wheel to force the work pieces thereagainst. 9. A machine of the character "described, including a bed, a. grinding wheel rotatabl supported by the bed, a plurality of wor umts supported by the bed for holding work pieces and adapted to be operatively associated with the grindin wheel, intermittently operating work shifting mechanism carried by the individual units for moving work pieces step by step tranversely of the operative face of the grinding wheel, cam means for imparting an in and out movement to v the units between each step as respects the operative face of the grinding wheel, additional' cam means for actuating the work shifting devices, and means for impartin relative rotary movement to the cams an parts actuated thereby, whereby the cams will sequentially correspondingly actuate corr'e'spondingparts of the several units. 10. A machine of the character described,

including a bed, a grinding wheel mounted on the bed for rotation about a vertical; axis,

said grinding wheel having a plurality of work engaging rooves formed-in the surface thereof, a plura ity of work supporting units mounted adjacent the periphery of the grinding wheel, work supportscarried by the units, regulating wheels carried by the units for engagement "with work onthe supports,

means for'sequentially moving the units into and out of operative relation to the grooved face of the grinding wheel, and ineans on the units disposed in opposition to the work support for imparting astep by step advance to work pieces on the support when the the grindinggwheel, whereby individual work pieces w ll e successively presented to the units are swung out of operative relation to accuse several grooves on the face of the grinding wheel.

11. A machine of the character described, including a bed, a grinding wheel mounted on the bed for rotation about a vertical axis,-

T work pieces on the support when the units are swung out of operative relation to the grinding wheel, whereby individual work pieces will be successively presented to the several grooves on the face of the grinding wheel, said work advancing means including an actuating cam movable in a constant direction, a reciprocating plunger, and connections I between said parts for intermittently rotating the cam on reciprocation of the plunger.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a peripherally grooved grinding wheel, of a regulating wheel unit movable toward and from the grinding wheel,

said unit including, a frame, a regulating wheel carried thereby, a work support car- .ried by the frame adjacent the regulating wheel on the grinding wheel side thereof, a supplemental work guiding member carried by the frame and spaced from the work support for limiting movement of-a work piece transversely of the support, and means adj acent the guide for imparting an advancing movement to work pieces along the support.

13. A grinding machine of the character described, including a bed, a spindle-vertically mounted in the bed, a grinding wheel carried by the spindle, means for rotating the spindle and wheel at a grinding speed, a tablerotatably moimted on the support axial .with the spindle, vwork supporting units mounted on the table for movement therewith and oscillation relative thereto, said units eachcomprising a work support for peripheral engagement with a rotating work piece and 'an associateslowly driven regulating wheel for peripheral engagement with the work piece to control the rate of rotation thereof, a control cam carried by the bed and in' engagement with the units and consecutively imparting predetermined movement to the several units .as they are carried about the cam by rotation of the table, and

' described, inclu 'ng a bed, a spindle vertically mounted in the bed, a inding wheel carried by the spindle, means orrotating the spindle and wheel at a, grinding speed, a table rotatably mounted on the support axial with the spindle, work supporting units mounted on the table for movement therewith and oscillation relative thereto, a control cam carried by the bed and in engagement with to the wor pieces as the table is rotated.

15. A grinding machine, including a grinding wheel rotatable about a vertical axis, and a work supporting unit disposed adjacent said grinding wheel, said unit having a work support and a re ulating wheel adjacent the support, means or supplying work pieces to the space bounded in' part by the regulating wheel and the work support, means for-retaining the work pieceswithin said space, and additional means for ositively intermittently advancing the wor -pieces along the support.

16. A machine of the character described, including a bed, a grinding wheel spindle vertically mounted therein, a grinding Wheel carried by the spindle, a table rotatable con centric with the spindle, work supporting units mounted on the table and inclu 'ng individual regulating wheels on the units for peripheral engagement with work pieces during the grinding thereof, means for rotating the spindle, additional means for rotating the table at a different rate, and planetary gear mechanism for imparting rotation to the regulating wheels of the several units at a relatively slow rate of speed to control the rate of rotation of the work pieces engaged thereby. 17. A

grinding machine, including a rotary grinding wheel, a work controlling unit pivotally mounted for oscillating movement as an entirety toward and from the grinding wheel to feed work pieces carried thereby into the grinding wheel, said unit includin a regulating wheel and. an opposed wor rotaryitable mounted on the bed, a work controlling unit pivotally mounted for oscillating movement as an'entirety on the table toward and from the grinding wheel, said unitcincluding a regulating wheel, a work rest and means for controlling the position and advanceof the work, and cam'means fixed movement as an entirety toward'and from the grinding wheel, resilient means for osc'rllat mg the unit toward the grinding wheel to feed the work pieces into the grinding wheel,

x the trough.

.wheel, said unit including a re and positive means for progressively llmiting v the approach of the unit to the grinding wheel and for oscillating the unit away from the grinding wheel.

20. A grinding machine including a bed, a rotary grinding wheel mounted thereon, a rotary table mounted on the bed, and a work controlling unit pivotally mounted on the table for oscillating movement as an entirety toward and from the grinding wheel, said unit including a regulating wheel and a work rest forming a trough in which the work is adapted to be adjustably positioned for presentation to the grinding wheel. 1

21. A grinding machine including a bed, a rotary grinding wheel mounted thereon, a rota table mounted on the bed, a work contro ling unit pivotally mounted on the table for oscillating movement as an entirety toward and from the grinding wheel, said unit including a regulating wheel and a work rest forming a trough in which the work is adapt- ;ed to be adjustably positioned for presentation of the grinding wheel and means for retaining thework in its adjusted position in 22. A grinding machine, including a rotary grinding wheel, a work controlling unit pivotally mounting for oscillatin movement as an entirety toward and from t e grinding wheel, said unit including a regulating wheel and an opposed work rest jointly enga 'ng \work pieces for presentation to the grm ing wheel and additional means for adjusting the regulating wheel relative'to the unit.

23. A grinding machine, including a. rotary grinding wheel, a work controlling unit pivotally mounted for oscillatin movement as an entirety toward and from t e grinding wheel, said unit including a regulating wheel and an opposed work rest jointly enga ing work pieces for presentation to the grm ing wheel, additional means for adjusting the regulatingwheel relative to the unit and means for controlling the position of the work relative to the work rest and regulating wheel for advancing'said'work along the. sociate rest.

24. A grinding machine, including a rotary grindmg wheel. a work controlling unit pivotally mounted for oscillatin movement as an entirety toward and from t e grinding lating wheel and an opposed work rest jomtly en- ,on the be otallymounted onthe table for oscillating gaging work pieces for presentation to the grlnding wheel, means or controllin the position of the work relative to the wor rest and regulating wheel andfor advancing said work along the rest, and cam means carried ling unit to feed the work pieces into the grinding wheel;

25. A inding machine, including a rotary grin ing wheel, a work controlling unit pivotally mounted for oscillating movement as an entirety toward and from the grindin wheel, said unit includin a regulating whe an opposed work rest, a ditional means for adjusting the re ulating wheel relative to the unit, means f or controlling the position and advance of the work, and cam means carried on the bed for oscillating the work con trollin unit.

26. grinding machine including a rotary grinding wheel and a work controlling unit pivotally mounted as an entirety for osfor oscillating thework controlcillatmg movement adjacent the grinding wheel, said unit including a work'supporting member and a-regulating wheel rotatable in the same direction about 1ts axis as the grinding wheel but at a much reduced rate of speed for frictionally engaging the work to control rotation thereofand means for oscillating the unit to shift the work into and out of operative engagement with the grinding wheel.

27. A grinding machine including a rotary grindin wheel and a work controlling unit pivotal y mounted as an entirety for oscillating movement adjacent the grinding wheel, said unit including a work supporting member and a regulati'n wheel rotatable in the same direction about 1ts axis as the grinding wheel but at a much reduced rate of speed for frictionally engaging the work to control rotation thereof, means for oscillating the unitfor shifting the work into and out of operative engagement with the inding wheel and additional means for adusting the regulating wheel relative to the unit.

28. A machine for the accurate production of work pieces of circular form in cross section comprising a grinding wheel rotatable at a high grinding rate of speed, a work table rotatable co-axial with the grindin wheel and bearing a plurality of oscillatab e units, said units each comp-rising a regulating wheel for peripheral engagement with a work piece 1n opposition to the engagement of the (grinding wheel therewith and an as work support adjacent the regulating wheel for taking up the thrust of the grinding wheel on the individual work piece, and a taportions for for limiting the approach. of the individual regulating wheels to the grinding wheel to gontrol the size of work piece produced there- 29. A machine for the accurate production of work pieces of circular form in cross section comprising a grinding wheel rotatable at a high grinding rate of speed, a work table rotatable co-axial with the grinding wheel and bearing a plurality of oscillatable units, said units each comprising a regulating wheel for peripheral engagement with a work piece in opposition to the engagement of the grinding wheel therewith and an associated work support adjacent the regulatin wheel for taking up the thrust of the grin ing wheel on the individual work piece, a stationary control cam having means consecutively engageable by successive regulating wheel units, said cam having portions for moving the units into non-grinding relation to the grinding wheel and additional portions for limiting the approach of the individual regulating wheels to the grinding wheel to control the size of work piece produced thereby, and means for relatively adjusting the operative relation of individual regulating wheel units to the cam to control the size 0 work produced by such individual work piece units.

30. A machine for the accurate production of work pieces of'circular form in cross section comprising a grinding wheel rotatable at a high grinding rate of speed a work table rotatable co-axial with the grlnding wheel and bearing a plurality of oscillatable units, said units each comprising a regulating wheel for peripheral engagement with a work piece in opposition to the engagement of the grinding wheel therewith and an associated work Su port adjacent the regulating wheel for t 'ng up the thrust of the grinding wheel on the individual work pieces, a stationary control cam having means consecutively engageable by successive regulating wheel units, said cam havin portions for moving the units intonon-grinding relation to the grinding wheel and additional portions for limiting the approach of the individual regulating wheels to the grinding wheel to control the size of work piece produced thereby, means for relatively adjusting the operative relation of individual regulating wheel units to the cam to control the size of work produced by such individual work piece units, each of said work supports having a plurality of operative work engaging stations, and means for progressively shifting work pieces on an individual work support from station to station.

31. A machine for the accurate production of work pieces of circular form incross section comprisin a grinding wheel rotatableand bearing a plurality of oscillatable units, said units each comprising a regulating wheel for peripheral engagement with a work piece in opposition to the engagement of the grinding wheel therewith and an associated work support adjacent the regulating wheel for taking up the thrust of the grinding wheel on the individual work pieces, a stationary control cam having means consecutively engageable by successive regulating wheel units said cam having portions for moving the units into non-grinding relation to the grinding wheel and additional portions for limiting the approach of the individual regulating wheels to the grinding wheel to control the size of work piece produced thereby, means for relatively adjusting the operative relation of individual regulating wheel units to the cam to control the size of work produced by such individual work piece units, each of said work supports having a plurality of operative work engaging stations, means for progressively shift-ing work pieces on an individual work support from station to station, and a single means for successively operating the work shifting mechanisms of the various regulating wheel units.

32. A'grinding machine including a rotary grinding wheel, a work controlling unit pivotally mounted adjacent the grinding wheel for oscillating movement toward and from the grinding wheel, the said work controlling unit including a regulating wheel and an opposed work rest jointly engaging work pieces to support same and control their rota tion, the adjacent faces of-the wheels forming a grinding throat therebetween, means for adjusting the regulating wheel relative to the unit, means for controlling the position of the work pieces relative to the regulating wheel and work rest and for advancing said work pieces along the work rest. and means for effecting the oscillations of the work controlling unit to vary the width of the grinding throat to thereby determine the diameter of the work to be produced.

33. In a grinding machine the combination of a rotating grinding wheel, a work rotation controlling and supporting unit pivotally mounted for oscillating movement toward and from the grinding wheel and including a work rest member for supporting work pieces and a regulating wheel for controlling the rate of rotation of said work pieces, and cam means for controlling the oscillations of the work controlling unit to determine the rate of feeding of the work pieces into the grinding wheel and the final size thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HANS ERNST.

at a high grinding rate of speed, a work table rotatable co-a-xial with the grinding wheel 

